This could get really interesting, and I’m more and more convinced that I should really take this sucker to court, as I can probably get damage penalties for the unpaid security deposit interest, if nothing else…
I just returned my landlord’s page of yesterday (it was too busy at work, and I got home too late to call last night) He called back immediately; asked if I’d “done anything about the bugs.” Told him no, as that’s not my responsibility, and given that he’d involved lawyers (not to mention that he’d lied to me), I didn’t feel comfortable talking to him on the phone and would prefer that he communicate with me in writing. Also told him I’d written extensive letter to his lawyer, which should have been received by now (as alderman’s office had received their copy yesterday), and that I’d tried to leave him a copy, but it wouldn’t fit into his mailbox slot. As everything else I have to say is in the letter, told him he should communicate with his lawyer re: contents of letter. Also told him I can’t spend time discussing this at work, as I have too much work to do. He said “OK” and hung up.
It might be worth it to stop by radio shack and find out what your options are for audio recording telephone calls. Some audio tape based answering machines are able to record at will, and they also used to sell an adapter microphone that attached to the handset of a phone.
As long as you notify him at the begining of each call that you’re recording and get his permission, you’re in the clear.
Hmmmm…now that I’ve finally dug up the full text of the ordinance, it appears that aside from the cockroach issue, my landlord potentially owes me over $12,000 in damages for non-payment of interest on my security deposit (double the security deposit, plus interest, for each of the past 6 years). Unles there is, in fact, a 2-year statute of limitations for this violation, in which case he only owes me $2,000.
At this point, I’m not intending to try to get out of my lease, but I am giving serious thought to taking the schmuck to court anyway for the security deposit-related penalties. Of course, that’ll be the point of no return, so I’d only do it after I move out. (And failure to return the security deposit, or to properly document repair-related deductions from the security deposit, is a whole separate category of offenses, also punishable by damages.) That, and I’m thinking about calling the Health Dept. and/or the city building inspectors on his ass.
You can find the full text of the ordinance at the link I posted above, if you’re curious about my interpretation; the site was down when I looked originally a couple of days ago, but as of this afternoon it’s up again. The link, again, is:
My upstairs neighbor came down Sunday to let me know that the landlord told him he was going to exterminate the whole building…and then I came home last night to find that a flyer to that effect had been slipped under my door by a real, live professional extermination company! D-day is next Tuesday. I’m going to check with the other neighbors and make sure it IS the whole building.
Let’s see if they actually manage to kill the little suckers this time…although I think I’m still moving out (and suing the schmuck over the security deposit) when my lease is up.
'In the meantime, I am reluctant to speak to my landlord without witnesses present. Any ideas? ’
pocket recorder
phone recorder (see applied laws)
lawsuit
do you still think that the moron is well meaning? it seems to me that he is not a moron (he has taken his pleasure with you with impunity) and he is not well meaning. i’m surprised that none of the other posters have not taken you to task for not suing him after his reprehensible treatment of you. you are “giving serious thought” to it???
The best stuff I have ever found to work is the roach gel that Combat puts out. It is in a tube somewhat like a syringe. You just squirt that stuff in the cracks and around places roaches would be and they will draw to it and eat it. My brother moved into a house that was left by the dirtiest people you would imagine. The roaches were so bad, they would come and watch TV with you. We got some of that gel, while we were putting it out, you could see thousands (and I’m not exagerating) upon thousands of roaches coming out of the wall and eating this stuff. The next day and every since then (6 years ago) we have yet to see a single roach in his house.
No, I now think he is a cheap, manipulative schmuck. I may very well sue him, but as that will definitely be the point of no return, I plan to do it AFTER my lease is up and I move out in May. I don’t need him harrassing me into moving in the middle of a Chicago winter, especially since there are less apartment choices available right now.
